Tagged: missouri

Speaking on KBIA’s Intersection earlier this week, Deputy Commissioner for the Missouri Department of Higher Education Paul Wagner said that Missouri has been a national leader in keeping college tuition down. He said that tuition increases at public four year institutions in the state were the lowest in the country over the last three years. That statistic comes from a College Board Report released earlier this month. Wagner points to two factors that have helped limit tuition increases.

State officials say exports by Missouri businesses rose by 6 percent in the first half of the year compared with the same period in 2011.

A new report says Missouri's unemployment rate edged higher last month while the number of nonfarm jobs declined.

The Department of Economic Development says the jobless rate rose one-tenth of a point in July to 7.2 percent. That compares with a national rate of 8.3 percent.

The Missouri agency also reported Tuesday that nonfarm payroll employment decreased in July by 7,700 jobs.

Officials said record heat and severe drought affected outdoor jobs in such areas as construction, landscaping, lawn care and recreation.

Most of the Republican nominees for statewide offices in Missouri are touring the state together in a bus Tuesday and Wednesday.

Robin Carnahan’s decision to not seek a third term as Missouri Secretary of State has opened the door for seven hopefuls from four different political parties.  The contest had been relatively quiet until about two weeks ago, when the three Republican contenders began airing TV ads and stepping up their campaign appearances.  St. Louis Public Radio’s Marshall Griffin takes a look at the three GOP candidates who want to become Missouri’s next Secretary of State: